The castle stands proudly over the steep hill. Its call to come closer commands my attention now. I curiously view these medieval remnants as an ideal spot for finding peace. Find the olden path and my thirst for contentment will soon come clear. As cobblestone turns to dust, my ascent begins smoothly. With each passing step, the town below grows smaller. Ancient vines part up ahead to signal the way forward. Footsteps above! A passing knight perhaps or the King’s procession alive. A crumbling wall in the distance dares me to cross into the mysteries that I seek. No home could ever be more inviting. It soon becomes clear that my castle resides within me and its kingdom lies waiting to finding a restful existence.

Streetcars are not the most efficient means to travel in Lisbon but they assuredly are the most fun. Grab hold immediately of the nearest rail inside the cabin and you speed off to a destination that you soon forget. Pay close attention to the location of your wallet as you become Sherlock Holmes and guess who might be the most likely one to lift it silently from your pocket. How do you say pickpocket in Portuguese? Having taken great pride in finding the proper place to stand amidst the dense maze of people surrounding you, what fun it might be to guess how to exit the tram successfully. A sudden jolt of brakes is felt at each stop as many spring confidently toward the rear exit. You gradually move closer to the rear at each stop as you test your balance to stand nearer to an exit position. At some point, you begin to realize that this journey has reawakened your senses to “living in the present.” I feel more alive now and laugh inside at this carnival of human madness.

What do Vasco Da Gama and myself have in common? We both sought the curiosities of the unknown by traveling great distances to do so. Although I never became memorialized with a statue as this great explorer was, I feel the same sense of daring accomplishment in walking the cobblestone lanes of old Lisbon today. Vasco’s spirit of the “Great Age of Portuguese Discovery” is a timeless example to follow in my search for life’s ultimate meaning. Continue reading “Vasco Da Gama And Me” →